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At issue: Open carrying guns

Jessie Balmert
2:11 a.m. EDT July 28, 2014

J.P. Thornsley, 12, carries a U.S. flag in the barrel of his 20-gauge shotgun before leading about 250 gun rights advocates in an open carry demonstration <137>during the Independence Day parade <137>in Westcliffe, Colo. Colorado and Ohio are among 29 states that allow residents to open carry handguns without a permit. <137>on Friday, July 4, 2014. (AP Photo/The Gazette, Michael Ciaglo)<137>(Photo: Michael Ciaglo/The (Colorado Springs) Gazette, AP)

Carrying a pistol in a concealed holster under your jacket requires a permit, 12-hour class and background checks. Strapping a shotgun to your back requires none of those precautions.

That's because Ohio is one of at least 29 states that allows for open carrying of handguns and long guns with few caveats. Open carry has received renewed attention recently because of high-profile demonstrations in Texas in which people carried rifles outside the Alamo and brought shotguns into Starbucks.

Texas law permits openly carrying long guns, but not handguns — something certain gun advocates are protesting with flashy presentations. In Ohio, both are permitted if the person is legally allowed to own a gun, said Brett Pucillo, president of Ohio Carry, an organization created in October 2012 to educate people about their right to bear arms.

"Ohio's concealed carry laws do not regulate 'open' carry of firearms. If you openly carry, use caution. The open carry of firearms is a legal activity in Ohio," according to Ohio Attorney General's Office pamphlet on concealed carry laws.

But not all gun advocates are impressed by the recent, showy protests across the nation.

"To further the cause and help educate people, you're not going to do that in a positive way by threatening people by bringing an AR-15 into Target," said Jim Irvine, chairman of the Buckeye Firearms Association, who supports open carry. "From the pro-gun side, I cringe every time I see it."

It's a sentiment shared by the National Rifle Association, which initially called demonstrations in Texas counterproductive and "downright weird" in a post on the organization's website. The NRA later backtracked and said it supported expansion of open carry rights, and the post was merely commenting on tactics.

Bearing arms openly

Because no permit is required for open carry, it's difficult to know how many Ohioans are doing so.

However, it's likely a much smaller number than those who carry concealed, Pucillo said. Ohio sheriffs have issued more than 450,000 new concealed handgun permits over 10 years, which amounts to about 5 percent of the state's adult population, assuming everyone renewed their licenses and none were revoked.

People who carry concealed are required to take a class on basic safety and gun laws, something Irvine encourages. However, he said similar training should not be required of people who open carry because those individuals know the rules already.

Supporters say the benefits of open carry include fewer restricted areas and comfort that isn't common with carrying concealed. It's not legal, or practical, to conceal longer firearms like shotguns and rifles, so open carry is the only option in those situations, Pucillo said.

"Some handguns are just too big to conceal. You can't get to your weapon without untucking your shirt," he said.

Open carry also raises awareness about guns in a way concealed carry does not. When Pucillo carries his gun openly, neighbors or law enforcement officers will ask him about it, and that gives him the opportunity to educate people, he said.

"A right not exercised is a right lost," Irvine said. "If you don't (open carry), you can lose that right. People don't know it's legal."

Law enforcement officers are becoming much more aware of open carry rights. Former Cincinnati Police Chief James E. Craig issued a memo in 2012 advising his officers that simply carrying a gun in the open did not warrant a disorderly conduct or inducing panic charge.

Irvine said he's not surprised that people call police when they see someone openly carrying a gun — they think the activity is illegal. But dispatchers should be trained to ask follow-up questions and determine whether the behavior is benign or dangerous, he said.

Irvine likened it to someone carrying a baseball bat: "If he is bringing the baseball bat to adult softball, that's not threatening. If yelling he's at people, saying he's going to beat their heads in, that's a different situation. One is threatening, one is not."

But anti-gun advocate Toby Hoover said all open carry activity is threatening.

"They aren't trained people in any way, and they are going to be out amongst the rest of us," said Hoover, founder of Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence. "I think it's truly just a way to intimidate people."

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Business reaction

Hoover's concerns were shared by several businesses, whose CEOs requested that gun owners leave their firearms at home after the open carry protests.

In September, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz asked customers not to bring guns into the company's stores or outdoor seating areas. It had previously permitted open carry in states that allowed it.

"We believe that gun policy should be addressed by government and law enforcement — not by Starbucks and our store partners," Schultz wrote in an open letter posted on the company's website. "Recently, however, we've seen the 'open carry' debate become increasingly uncivil and, in some cases, even threatening."

This month, Target made a similar request. As of July 2, the company "respectfully requested" that customers not bring firearms to Target, even in cities where it is permitted by law.

"Bringing firearms to Target creates an environment that is at odds with the family-friendly shopping and work experience we strive to create," interim CEO John Mulligan wrote in a statement.

Hoover applauded the efforts, saying they put the vast majority of customers who do not carry guns at ease. However, Irvine said the new policies isolated customers who carry guns — openly and concealed.

"I feel for the awkward situation they've been put in," Irvine said. "(However,) I think they could have made a much better statement and not offend a vast majority of gun owners."

jbalmert@gannett.com

740-328-8548

Twitter: @jbalmert

What's the difference?

Restrictions

Open carry

Concealed carry

Training

None

10-hour class on gun laws and safety, and two hours at the shooting range

Background checks

None

FBI or Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation check required

Fee

None

$67 minimum for license and background check

Age requirements

18 years old for long guns, 21 years old for handguns

21 years old

Forbidden carry zones

Police stations, prisons, airports, courthouses, schools and within 1,000 feet of school buildings, vehicles unless unloaded, any business that posts a sign barring firearms